


Please Hold

by lou_angel



Series: Dial M for Merlin [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Time, M/M, Snippets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-21
Updated: 2013-01-21
Packaged: 2017-11-26 08:55:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/648832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lou_angel/pseuds/lou_angel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Third in the 'Dial M for Merlin' mini-series in which more than one secret is uncovered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Please Hold

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written way back in 2009, so when Arthur's friends are referred to think of his little gang in the beginning of S1. Leon et al are not on the scene.

Arthur punched the number into his phone again.  
  
Merlin, _his Merlin_ (well the Merlin who would have been his if he had any say in the matter) moonlighted as a phone sex operator! One he’d happened to ring.  
  
He wasn’t entirely sure why he was ringing again but he’d found the scrap piece of paper he’d scrawled the number on and was going to complain or something. If he ever got through that is. Every time he dialled all he got was a tinny version of ‘Let’s Get it On’ and a man saying, “Our operators are busy at the moment, but please hold the line big guy, someone’s waiting for you!” in a tone that was clearly meant to be sexy but actually made Arthur want to kick them.  
  
When Arthur had heard _that voice_ saying _those words_ from Merlin he’d not known what to do. Merlin had fallen asleep with breathy snores and scared as he was, Arthur didn’t have the heart to kick Merlin out of the house. So he left and ended up spending most of the night trying to make some sense out of what had happened. He fell into an exhausted sleep as day broke and was woken by Lance in the early afternoon to be told that everyone had gone home.  
  
Now here he was, ringing the hotline again. When he did get manage to get through, it was to a bewildering menu of men to choose from that was certainly nothing like the call he made the other night. As if he’d dialled a completely different number.  
  
And had got Merlin. Who had recognised him and –  
  
Arthur threw his phone across the room as hard as he could and watched with satisfaction as it splintered with a loud crack against the wall.  
  
~  
  
To say that Merlin was a bit nervous about going to college on Monday morning was not quite true, in that it was a gross understatement. Merlin was, in fact, bloody petrified and was almost sick before he left his house. Somehow, he’d managed to sneak out of the Pendragon house on the morning after the party and was only spotted by a harassed looking cleaner who’d shot him an evil glare and hissed something at him in a foreign language that couldn’t possibly have been pleasant. Since then, he’d been trying to remember what had happened. He’d tried to find out covertly from Will, but all he got was a long babble about the drama student Sophia and this amazing thing she did with her tongue that he wasn’t sure he really wanted to know about.  
  
So he went to college not knowing what had happened or what was likely to happen next but he had a horrible feeling it wasn’t going to be good.  
  
~  
  
Merlin bagged a table whilst Will went to buy coffees. He had put his folders down and shrugged his bag off his back when a strong hand grabbed his arm just beneath the elbow.  
  
“I need to talk to you,” hissed Arthur into his ear, “ _Hal_.”  
  
 _Bollocks._  
  
He only had a few seconds to send Will a pleading glance as he was marched out of the refectory with Arthur’s fingers bruising his arm.  
  
~  
  
Arthur shoved Merlin into the men’s toilets and pinned him up against the wall.  
  
“What the hell were you playing at?”  
  
Merlin didn’t know how to answer but even if he did he wouldn’t have been able to as Arthur’s grip on his neck was quite strong.  
  
“Did you think it was _funny_?” Arthur demanded his eyes glittering as he thrust he face menacingly close to Merlin, “I bet you’ve been having a good laugh about it. You and that obnoxious tit of a friend of yours.”  
  
Merlin struggled to speak, to deny the accusations, to defend Will.  
  
“What a lucky strike for you! Arthur Pendragon likes guys.” Arthur let go of Merlin’s neck. “I bet you can’t wait to spread it around college.” He continued bitterly, forgetting that Merlin had not mentioned anything for over a week.  
  
Merlin didn’t say anything.  
  
Arthur groaned.  
  
Then Merlin again found himself slammed back against the wall and Arthur’s mouth was pressing angrily against his own. He was so astonished that it took him a few moments before he tried to push Arthur away.  
  
Arthur pinned his arms to the wall with strong hands and with a harsh laugh against his mouth, bit his bottom lip and he yelped.  
  
He tried to struggle but there was a part of him that quite enjoyed Arthur’s ruthless, persistent lips as they pressed against his lips again and then worked their way down his neck, teeth nipping hard enough to leave marks.  
  
“Arthur, don’t.” he managed eventually. Yes, Arthur might be kissing him and yes, he might like it a bit. But this wasn’t how he wanted it. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.  
  
Arthur’s hands clenched tighter on Merlin’s arms and he kissed his mouth again with greater force. Then he felt an almighty push that sent him flying away from Merlin with a strength that he never would have imagined the skinny boy could muster.  
  
“I said no!”  
  
Arthur was still stumbling backwards, arms flailing, he reached out and grabbed a sink with one arm. Merlin caught hold of the other. Though he was angry and upset, he didn’t really want to hurt Arthur.  
  
Once Arthur regained his balance, he pulled his arm abruptly from Merlin’s grasp. He glowered at him.  
  
“Why did you do it?” he asked eventually.  
  
Merlin looked sad and tried to stammer a reply.  
  
“Do you do that to every person that misdials and gets you?”  
  
“No, of course not.”  
  
“Then why me?”  
  
“Because when I knew it was you and I knew why you were calling I - ” Merlin could feel the flush creeping into his face “I wanted it to be me that did – that to you.”  
  
“So you could have some sort of hold over me?”  
  
“No!” Merlin was offended, “Because I wanted to be there with you, you prat. Because I’ve fancied the pants off you pretty much since I first saw you. Because that was the only time I’d ever get closer to you than a dream.”  
  
Arthur stared at Merlin in amazement. Merlin met his gaze steadily, despite his embarrassment and his growing fear.  
  
Arthur groaned again and reached for Merlin.  
  
This time, Merlin met Arthur’s lips and responded eagerly, a hand moving to thread through the blond hair and to prevent Arthur from moving too far away.  
  
~  
  
When Will burst through the door, unable to wait anxiously in the hallway any longer despite Morgana and Lance trying to restrain him, he was certainly not expecting the sight that met him.  
  
Merlin was perched on the edge of a sink with a leg wrapped around one of Arthur’s. Both his arms were around Arthur and the two were _kissing_.  
  
Arthur broke off the kiss, turned and glared at Will, and said “fuck off” very clearly, as one of his hands slid underneath Merlin’s t-shirt. Now that, well the words at least, was what Will was expecting and he was slightly relieved but he didn’t want to go without checking that Merlin was ok.  
  
“Merlin?”  
  
“I’ll see you later.” Merlin mumbled, looking flustered.  
  
Will nodded weakly and backed out, shutting the door firmly behind him.  
  
“What happened?” Morgana asked as she saw Will’s shocked face.  
  
Will knew his mouth was opening and closing but he couldn’t force any sound out.  
  
~  
  
“I think he’ll be scarred for life now,” Merlin said as the door shut.  
  
“I don’t care.” Arthur said, “Now, where were we?” He scrunched Merlin’s t-shirt up further, brushing soft fingers across the slim chest and running a teasing thumb over a nipple.  
  
Merlin shivered.  
  
“Are you nervous?” Arthur asked with a wicked grin, “If you want to stop, you just say.”  
  
Merlin slid off the edge of the sink and placed both palms on Arthur’s chest, pushing him backwards across the small room and into one of the cubicles. He locked the door behind him and then gave Arthur a broad, cheeky smile.  
  
Neither of them made it to class that morning.  
  
~  
  
 _Two Days Later_  
  
They told some of their friends first.  
  
Will already knew and he’d always suspected Merlin had a crush on Arthur. Despite the fact that Will and Arthur hated each other they called an uneasy truce for Merlin’s sake and vowed to try and be civil to one another. It wasn’t too difficult for them because they both liked to see Merlin happy.  
  
Morgana, and Gwen who would have been told immediately after if Arthur hadn’t decided to just tell the two of them at the same time, were surprisingly easy to tell and they took it very well. Actually, Morgana clapped her hands, which was a bit disconcerting.  
  
Arthur wasn’t going to tell anyone else, but Merlin encouraged him to tell Lance – the only guy in Arthur’s crowd that he thought was decent. So Arthur did in stuttering sentences. Lance just smiled at him and said he was pleased.  
  
Merlin’s mum knew he was gay, had known for years, but she was almost completely overwhelmed when Merlin told her he now had a boyfriend. When she found out who he was she gave such a shriek that Merlin was quite alarmed. But he knew she was pleased when she flung her arms around him and cried, muttering something about ‘her baby growing up’ and then wiped away her tears on a tea towel and began making plans to invite Arthur over for dinner.  
  
That only left Arthur’s father. Morgana encouraged Arthur to tell Uther one evening, preferably during dessert where there would be no knives or forks on the table when he might be mollified by wine and sweet things. She sat uncharacteristically silent next to him giving his hand a supportive squeeze as Arthur came out to his father.  
  
“My boy as long as you are safe I do not care,” Uther said between bites of sorbet.  
  
“You don’t?” Arthur was surprised. So was Morgana.  
  
“Not at all,” Uther said eating his dessert with great relish, “what you do with your private life is none of my concern, just as you would not concern yourself with mine. What is this boy’s name? We must invite him over for dinner.”  
  
Arthur was too disturbed at sudden thoughts of his father having a sex life to answer.  
  
~  
  
 _One week later_  
  
They hadn’t quite meant to hide their relationship at college but somehow it happened. Arthur still spent a lot of his time with his usual cronies that didn’t think much of Merlin – or anyone that wasn’t themselves really. It bothered both of them but neither was quite ready to make a public declaration.  
  
They’d gone separately to the college end of term party as they had to planned before they’d got together. Morgana and Gwen encouraged Merlin and Will to join them at their table and Arthur came over several times to talk to them.  
  
They even danced together, as a group, laughing and singing. Arthur gave Merlin several furtive winks that made him blush. Then Arthur would go over to his other friends and Merlin would feel that the evening was somehow diminished. And when he came back, Merlin’s heart leapt and everything seemed brighter.  
  
Morgana and Gwen were enthusiastically finishing an athletic Timewarp and the DJ was winding down the night by telling everyone to grab their partners for the slow dances. Merlin gave a cursory glance over to the group of guys Arthur had been with just a few moments before. They were gathered with malicious smirks and stares near a quiet female student who was clearly distraught and drunk. Arthur wasn’t with them. Merlin wondered if he should step in and help the girl.  
  
“Want to give them something to stare at?” Arthur whispered into his ear as the ‘I Wanna Know What Love Is’ started to play and the dance floor filled with couples. He gestured towards his cronies.  
  
Merlin nodded.  
  
Arthur took his hand and pulled him into the middle of the floor where he put his arms about Merlin’s waist and held him close.  
  
“Dance with me,” he murmured.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye Merlin saw one of Arthur’s friends stop and stare. He nudged the others and soon their attention was diverted from the girl as they gawped. Merlin held on a little tighter to Arthur.  
  
Arthur felt Merlin’s grip tighten and laughed softly. Then he bent his head and kissed him. They forgot to dance and just stood kissing, not even noticing when another couple, who were enthusiastically twirling, bumped into them. As the song ended, so did their kiss. Arthur squeezed Merlin, lifting him slightly off his feet and spun him around a couple of times.  
  
“I’m not a girl!” Merlin said but he laughed.  
  
It wasn’t until then that they realised there were only a few couples left on the dance floor and a lot of people were staring, open-mouthed at them. Arthur looked round defiantly.  
  
Lance bounded over to them, clapped Merlin on the shoulder and started talking energetically as if nothing had happened. Then the DJ played a Dirty Dancing medley and the floor filled with people.  
  
~  
  
Arthur stayed at Merlin’s house that night.  
  
Mindful of the paper thin walls of the house and Will restlessly turning in his bed just on the other side of the wall to Merlin’s, they quietly undressed each other and squeezed into the small bed, exploring each other’s bodies with tentative fingers and tender lips.  
  
The sex before had never been bad but it had been furtive, fumbling and frantic. Now they took pleasure in acquainting themselves with every inch of each other. Merlin discovered that Arthur had a ticklish spot at the base of his spine and delighted in teasing him by returning to it with fingers and lips. Arthur found that Merlin made the most delicious sounds when he nibbled his ears, which was good as Arthur particularly liked Merlin’s ears.  
  
They spent hours touching and teasing, tasting and tickling until they fell asleep entwined together and dreamt of doing the same.  
  
They woke in the morning, still wrapped in each other so that it was hard to tell where one of them ended and the other began. For a while they just lay together, basking in the warmth and smiling at each other.  
  
Then Merlin could hear Will clattering around in the kitchen, listening to the radio as usual and burning the toast. So they both scuttled across the landing into the bathroom and clambered into the shower.  
  
Having sex in a shower was more difficult than it sounded. Arthur managed to smack his shoulder into the shower controls but he manfully ignored it and Merlin tried not to squeak at how cold the tiles were when Arthur pushed him against them. It was slippery, slithery, soapy and, at one point, scalding as downstairs Will filled the kettle and diverted all the cold water in the ancient plumbing system away. Despite the potential for disaster, Merlin felt himself rushing towards a release that made him cry out Arthur’s name, hastened by Arthur putting to use his discovery from the previous night with frequent nibbles of Merlin’s ear. Arthur quickly followed him over the edge; their shouts drowned out by the drumming of the shower.  
  
Afterwards they joined Will for breakfast and tried to look innocent.  
  
~  
  
 _Two weeks later_  
  
Merlin and Arthur had joined Gwen and Morgana on the large couch in the games room of Pendragon House to watch ‘Love Actually’ (although Arthur said if it ever got out that he watched it he'd kill them all). Morgana made popcorn and cocktails and Gwen brought chocolate which made Arthur worry that this was far too girly and he made Merlin sit on his lap so he could feel in control of something. Which was fine until about halfway through when even Merlin’s lean frame began to feel a bit heavy making Arthur wriggle uncomfortably until Merlin slipped off his lap and sat wedged between Arthur’s legs and the arm of the sofa with his own legs still folded over Arthur’s lap. Morgana gave them a deadly glare but Arthur was quite content with this arrangement and it wasn’t too uncomfortable for Merlin so they stayed like that till the end of the film when Arthur pretended he wasn’t pleased that the Prime Minister and his Employee had got together and faked a wide yawn.  
  
“I’m going to teach Gwen some more Guitar Hero now,” Morgana announced, “do you guys want to stick around and play in a bit?”  
  
“Nah,” Arthur said, hooking a finger through one the belt loops on Merlin’s jeans and tugging gently “we’re gonna go upstairs.”  
  
“Thanks for the warning,” Morgana said with a wink, “we’ll crank the volume up shall we?”  
  
Merlin felt the blush spreading across his face.  
  
~  
  
The night before, Arthur had surprised him by straddling him and leaning over to nibble his ear and whisper, “tonight I'm yours to do with as you please. Just make it something good.” Which was astonishing both in that he’d completely relinquished control to Merlin and that he had actually managed to say something other than ‘nyargh.’  
  
Merlin had run his hands over the sinewy contours of Arthur’s back, pausing to tease at the vulnerable spot at the base of his spine that cause Arthur to squirm and gasp. Then Merlin had pushed and rolled them over until Arthur found himself on his knees with his face in his pillow and Merlin was kissing that spot on his spine again.  
  
Merlin spilt a few drops of cool oil onto Arthur’s hot skin as he slicked it over his hands. He trailed kisses up Arthur’s spine as he slid first one, then two fingers into Arthur, scissoring them. Arthur muttered something into his pillow that Merlin didn’t quite hear, but he decided that if Arthur could speak at all then something wasn’t quite right. So he’d slid a third finger in and Arthur gasped “mmrble” which was much better.  
  
Arthur trembled in anticipation as Merlin withdrew his fingers and held onto Arthur’s hips. Merlin brushed a finger gently over Arthur’s ticklish spot and eased himself into Arthur slowly until he was completely buried in him.  
  
Arthur had to bite his pillow to stop himself from coming right then. He rocked back slightly. Merlin rolled his hips experimentally  
  
“Merlin, please, I need you to – nyargh!” he broke off as Merlin withdrew slightly and then pushed back into him. Then again, and again, hitting a spot inside Arthur that made him lose the power of speech altogether. Merlin thrust with an increasing power and tempo, forcing low keening moans from Arthur’s lips.  
  
When one of Merlin’s hands stopped pressing bruises into Arthur’s hip and reached round to wrap long fingers around his aching cock and pump up and down with each thrust, Arthur was even robbed of the ability to moan.  
  
 _OhdeargodMerlinthat’ssogoodI-ohfuck!_  
  
Merlin faltered and Arthur knew he was close to release. The erratic rhythm pushed Arthur to the brink and then he came, in great hot spurts that spilled on Merlin’s hand and onto the sheets and he screamed as great waves of pleasure shot up and down his body. He felt Merlin find his own release buried deep within him.  
  
They both collapsed onto the bed, breathless and wordless for several minutes until Merlin had pressed a kiss onto Arthur’s neck and whispered almost smugly into his ear, “Told you I’d make you scream.”  
  
~  
  
 _Three weeks later_  
  
Merlin and Will were sat at the kitchen table eating breakfast. Merlin was spreading a thick layer of chocolate spread onto his toast (which Will had burnt. Again) when his mobile rang. Arthur.  
  
“Hey!” he answered in a gooey tone that Will always mimicked but he couldn’t help using whenever he answered the phone to Arthur. Will pulled a face, then grinned and bit into his toast.  
  
“Are you naked?”  
  
“Yeah,” Merlin licked chocolate spread off his fingers, “I’m naked.” Which he wasn’t.  
  
Will looked startled.  
  
“Naked in the kitchen with Will there?” Arthur sounded amused, “naughty boy.”  
  
Merlin dropped his knife and looked around wildly, “where are you?”  
  
Arthur tapped at the kitchen window and waved, “are you going to let me in?”  
  
“No, you nearly made me drop my toast.”  
  
“Door’s open!” shouted Will. Arthur hung up his mobile and bounced into the kitchen with a grin.  
  
“You’ve got chocolate on your face,” he said to Merlin and brushed it off with his thumb. And then put his thumb in his mouth. “mmmm.”  
  
Will rolled his eyes and said loudly, “I’m going in the shower now.” He shot up the stairs.  
  
“You’re up early.” Merlin said as Arthur sat down at the table and pinched a slice of toast. He knew Arthur wasn’t much of a morning person.  
  
“I’ve been thinking –”  
  
 _Oh dear_.  
  
“ – And I realised we haven’t been on a proper date yet.” Arthur looked sternly at him as if this was a criminal offence. “So I’ve planned a whole day to rectify this shocking fact.”  
  
“A date?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Great,” Merlin said with his big lopsided grin that always made Arthur want to kiss him. Well, want to kiss him even more than he usually wanted to. “You can wash up whilst I get dressed.”  
  
Arthur frowned.  
  
~  
  
Arthur refused to divulge his plans for the day so he was forced to wait whilst Merlin dithered about what to wear. Eventually, he hustled him out of the house and bundled him into the car.  
  
First they went to the cinema and shared popcorn and looked like any other couple giving each other sappy grins and enjoying the frissons of pleasure every time their fingers accidentally brushed as they dipped into the popcorn.  
  
Then they went to the park and wandered about and sat on the swings and kissed. And just as Merlin was beginning to feel hungry Arthur produced a picnic basket so they sat and enjoyed the food. Arthur tried to throw strawberries in the air and catch them in his mouth and Merlin sucked on juicy slices of watermelon.  
  
When the picnic was packed away they strolled around again, hand in hand and Arthur pretended to know the names of the flowers and Merlin didn’t correct him. They stopped by the pond and Merlin fed the ducks laughing and looking so happy and carefree that Arthur’s heart soared and he wondered if it was possible to be drunk on love.  
  
Then they played tag and Merlin ran into the maze to escape. When Arthur finally caught up with him they were hopelessly lost and Arthur felt himself getting frustrated that his carefully planned day had dared to go wrong and wondered if Merlin might be getting bored so he quickly thought of a diversion.  
  
Merlin wasn’t getting bored but he didn’t object when Arthur pushed him up against the hedge and kissed him, even if some of the branches were a bit prickly. He definitely didn’t object when Arthur slid a hand inside his jeans, nor when he upzipped them and knelt down, tugging at the jeans and his underwear. And definitely not when Arthur took him into his mouth and licked and teased and sucked until he came with a soft cry and birds scattered from the hedgerows.  
  
Arthur decided that whilst Merlin was sagging against the hedge looking thoroughly rumpled, even with his jeans pulled back up, that this might be a good time to tell him about the plans for the evening if they ever found their way again.  
  
Dinner. Which Merlin looked pleased with.  
  
At Arthur’s house. Which was also fine.  
  
With Uther.  
  
~  
  
Although Uther had professed not to care that Arthur was now dating another man, he was well known for having a bad temper and Merlin spent much of the meal watching the man at the head of the table talking and gesticulating wildly with his steak knife.  
  
Morgana was there, and Gwen too, providing moral support in case something should happen but Uther appeared to be in a very good mood and didn’t need diverting or entertaining.  
  
As dessert was brought round he began to ply Merlin with questions about college, his mother, his taste in music. Then, to Merlin’s embarrassment and Arthur’s horror he asked him questions about his relationship.  
  
“Was it love at first sight then?”  
  
“Actually,” Merlin said with a grin, “I thought he was a bit of prat really.”  
  
There was a small stunned silence.  
  
Then Uther laughed. “I like you Merlin. You’re funny.” And he announced that Merlin must stay the night and sent a car to fetch his toothbrush.  
  
~  
  
 _Two Months Later_  
  
Arthur went away on a tour with the college rugby team and they both had to get used to being without each other, just as they were falling into a pattern of being together. It wasn’t too bad at first. Arthur rang Merlin every night, as most of the other guys were getting ready to go out on the pull. Sometimes Arthur would stay in the hotel to watch TV and Lance would often volunteer to keep him company. Other times he’d go out with the lads and he, and usually Lance, would be left with the abandoned friends of the girls picked up by the rest of the guys and they’d buy them drinks and chat. Arthur would speak of Merlin so fondly that most of the girls would have been jealous if they hadn’t thought it was sweet.  
  
Merlin would look forward to the phone calls and would ask eagerly about Arthur’s day and his plans for the night. Then he’d share what he had done and talk about how he and Will were going to spend the evening playing on his battered Playstation and how he could at least beat someone up on a computer.  
  
Arthur was only away a fortnight, but after the first few days it began to feel like years. So when Merlin got a call from Arthur in the early afternoon on the day before he was due back saying “I’m back at home and the house is empty. Get your arse over here,” he couldn’t move quickly enough.  
  
He flung himself at Arthur almost before the front door had been fully opened to him and greeted him with such a deep and longing kiss that Arthur would have been alarmed if he didn’t feel exactly the same way.  
  
Arthur kicked the front door shut and they starting pulling at buttons and fiddling with zips as they awkwardly manoeuvred down the hallway.  
  
They made it as far as the games room, where Arthur pushed Merlin onto the large couch and did at least two things to him that no one had ever done before, which made Merlin blush every time he went back to the house and had to sit on the couch with an oblivious Morgana.  
  
~  
  
 _One year later_  
  
Merlin said cross-legged on his bed taking painstaking notes from his geology textbook and wishing he’d started his revision early.  
  
His mobile rang and he glared at it. But then he saw Arthur’s name flash up.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Is that Hal?” Arthur asked with a barely suppressed laugh.  
  
“Hey Arnold.” Merlin pushed his notes to one side.  
  
  
~


End file.
